Patience (Episode 1 - Archive)Patience (Episode 1 - Archive)
Relational Recovery
Wes Thompson and Austin Hill talk about patience as a key part of recovery, connecting it to love, conflict, and slow personal change. They reflect on how modern culture’s push for instant results clashes with the slower, more demanding work of real transformation.
6:22•17 Sept 2026
Patience, Conflict and Slow Change in Recovery
Episode Overview
- Patience is often undervalued in modern culture, yet its absence is quickly noticed, especially in recovery.
- Change and transformation tend to happen much more slowly than people expect, particularly with deep behavioural patterns.
- Patience is closely linked with love and Christian spirituality, reflecting aspects of God’s character.
- In conflict, the most loving person is usually the one who is patient enough to respond rather than react.
- A robust definition of patience includes bearing trials without complaint and maintaining self-control under adversity.
“Human beings don't… we don't change quickly, you know?”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This first archive episode of *Relational Recovery* digs into a surprisingly tricky character trait: patience. Hosted by Wes Thompson with co-host Austin Hill, the conversation looks at why patience feels so rare and why it matters so much for anyone wrestling with unwanted behaviours or addiction. Wes admits that patience is one of the areas he personally struggles with, especially in a culture that "prize[s] speed" and instant gratification.
Austin points out that patience is one of those quiet virtues you only notice when it’s missing: people don’t often say, "Wow, they’re so patient," but everyone feels it when patience disappears. Drawing from Christian spirituality, they reflect on patience as part of love, referencing "Love is patient, love is kind" and connecting it to God’s character.
Austin notes that patience often shows up most clearly in conflict, where the person expressing the most love is usually the one who can slow down, not react, and instead respond with care and self-control.
A key moment comes when Wes shares Walter Elwell’s definition of patience from the *Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible*: it’s "the ability to take a great deal of punishment from evil people or circumstances without losing one's temper" and the capacity to bear trials "without complaint" or acting rashly. Both hosts acknowledge how demanding that really is, especially for those in recovery who wish change happened faster.
With the Refuge Ministry’s blend of psychology and Christian faith in the background, this conversation is especially helpful if you’re frustrated with slow progress, messy relationships, or the feeling that people are "slowing things down" in your healing journey. It’s honest, practical, and gently challenging. If patience is something you struggle with too, what would it look like to bring just a bit more of it into your next conflict or craving?
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